BXVI: “Live life to the full”

“You cannot live your faith alone”, Benedict XVI told the 1.5 million young people gathered for the World Youth Day closing Mass on Sunday 21^st August, many of whom had spent the night after a rainy Prayer Vigil at Cuatro Vientos airbase. Surprisingly, the bad weather contributed to a greater closeness to the Pope and a greater unity among all.

All of us were deeply touched by the Pope’s first remark: “I thought a lot about you; I hope you were able to get a little sleep.”

Later on in the evening, just before leaving the International Airport of Madrid Barajas, Pope Benedict XVI delivered a heartfelt message to the youth:

“The time has come for us to say good-bye. These days spent in Madrid, in the company of so many young people from Spain and from throughout the world, will remain deeply etched in my mind and heart.

(…) The Pope felt at home in Spain! And the young people who were the heart of this World Youth Day found a warm welcome here and in the many cities and towns of the country, which they were able to visit in the days before these celebrations. 

(…) Spain is a great nation whose soundly open, pluralistic and respectful society is capable of moving forward without surrendering its profoundly religious and Catholic soul. In these days, it once more made this clear, revealing it’s technical and human resources in the service of an undertaking of immense consequence and promise: that of helping young people to become more deeply rooted in Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

(…) I cannot fail to offer heartfelt thanks to the young people for having come to the World Youth Day and for their joyful, enthusiastic and intense presence. To them I say thank you, and I congratulate you for the witness which you gave in Madrid and in the other cities of Spain in which you stayed. Now I ask you to spread throughout the world the profound and joyful experience of faith which you had here in this noble country. Share your joy especially with those who would have liked to come but were unable to do so for various reasons, with all those who were praying for you and with all those whose hearts were touched by these celebrations. By your closeness and your witness, help your friends to discover that loving Christ means living life to the full.”